Jannik Sinner did not play the US Open and is still world No. 1. That combination tells you most of what you need to know about his 2026.
## The Season Record
Sinner is 44-3 for the year with six titles. The standout stretch was the Masters 1000 run, where he won the first five events of the season:
– Indian Wells
– Miami
– Monte-Carlo
– Madrid
– Rome
He then won Wimbledon in July, beating Alexander Zverev in the final for his fifth career major and second consecutive title at the All England Club.
## The Knee Injury
Sinner has not played since Wimbledon. A right knee problem forced him out of the Canadian Open and Cincinnati, and on August 21 he withdrew from the US Open.
It was the first major he has missed since his debut at the 2019 US Open, and he became only the second ATP No. 1 to skip the US Open since rankings began in 1973, after Pete Sampras in 1999.
## The Ranking Position
Despite dropping the points from last year’s US Open final, Sinner holds No. 1 with a lead of 1,810 points over Zverev.
The catch is what is coming. Sinner has 3,550 points to defend before the season ends, from titles in Beijing, Vienna, Paris and the ATP Finals. Zverev has just 1,080 to defend.
## The Odd Blemish
His one strange result was the French Open, where he lost a two-set lead to Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round while struggling badly in the heat.
For the man chasing him down, see our update on Alexander Zverev’s 2026 season. His long-time rival’s year is covered in Carlos Alcaraz’s ranking and next tournament, and the full list is in our post-US Open rankings roundup.
## Next Up
Sinner is scheduled to return at the China Open in Beijing from September 30, where he is defending champion.